What other interests does anyone have?

I too have a love of cars. It actually started with the PlayStation 2. When I first got it (I was 10 at the time) I got Gran Turismo 4 with it, among some other games. I had no idea what the cars were but I enjoyed playing the game. I remember nicknaming the cars as I didn't know their real names. A favourite of mine, the Nissan Pennzoil Nismo GT-R 1999, I called the Pennzoil One because it was in the iconic Pennzoil race car livery and had the number 1 on the side, given in SuperGT (although the car raced before it took on that name) to the car that won the last championship. Even though it's 24 years old the car is still a capable race car, although GT500 (the class it was designed for) has always been so fast that the cars are still considered fast decades later.

My favourite car has to be the Bugatti Veyron, a masterpiece of engineering, although it is only one of the cars that make up my dream garage - others include the Aston Martin DB9, Jaguar F-Type (pre-facelift), and a Nissan Patrol my father has which I'd love to fix up and upgrade a little to make it my car. Unfortunately it's post-Renault Nissan, which means terrible electrics - ironically my father had a Nissan Z-car in the 70s which was far more reliable than the 'tough' 4x4.

 Ah, I have to admit my taste in cars is far more mundane lol.

My number one favourite car of all time, that's since about the age of 8,is the Mk2 Ford Escort RS2000 which I feel is probably beyond any possibility of me ever owning as they are going for insane money, even a ropey old rust bucket would at start at £10,000 with decent runners nearer £20,000 and show cars going for over £50,000 and more.

If I could lay my hands on an old 2 door mk2 1.1 popular or 1.3L I'd happily buy one of those and strengthen the shell to beyond RS standards then fit the 2 litre engine and running gear but fit the rear end i.e IRS and final drive from a Sierra Cosworth. Then fit an RS2000 nosecone and make a full on replica with all the performance and capabilities that exceed the original car. I'd be more than happy with that.

Other dream cars inc Vauxhall Viva HB, Vauxhall Cavalier Mk1 Sport/Opel Manta B 2 door/Opel Ascona B 2 door, Ford Cortina Mk2 & Mk3 and a Mk3 Ford Capri 3.0S,Hillman Avenger Tiger or Holbay Hunter 🙂

I have owned a number of my favourites like Mk3 Escort RS1600i and XR3i, Cavalier GSi, SRi16v, Calibre and SRi130, Astra GTe, Ford Capri 2.0S and 2.8i,Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth, Mk1 Fiesta 1300S,XR2 and a mk2 XR2 to name but a few.....

oh and a dodgy old mk5 Cortina 2.0GL lol

 Oh I absolutely forgot, for my dream car I'd say a Lotus Carlton 👍👍👍

Lotus Carlton, a cool car certainly. Although admittedly my favourite Lotus conversion was the Lada they rebuilt on Top Gear, although I think the car has been lost sadly.

Ok, I don't know how to elaborate poetically about my other interests.  But I absolutely loved pianos, it's keys just mesmerized me 10 years back. The touch which reverberated my deepest emotions and my soul itself resided in the instrument. I was fascinated by it and all the piano history and literature. 

I say all this because a life changing surgery forced me out of my playing. I was ransacked of the thing I loved the most and swear to god I have grappled with suicidal thoughts for the last two years. Fervently pondering over medical journals about its possible rectification methods and visiting various surgery forums my life has become a estranged medical case.

Apart from this I loved table tennis, chess and reading about science and nature. But none of these are so strong a passion that I could dedicate a paragraph to them. 

 I am very sorry to hear that. Some two years ago I stumbled in the back of the truck at work and subconsciously put out my left hand to steady myself.

Unfortunately, I completely misjudged it and basically jammed the ring finger hard into the wall as if I was attempting to poke it.

Obviously, it hurt but I really didn't think a great deal about it but after 2 more days of work the whole joint was swollen twice it's normal size aswell as incredibly painful.

I took time off work going to A&E where they x-rayed it telling me that it wasn't broken but the ligaments were badly damaged and may never heal properly.

The thought I may never be able to play guitar properly again and even if it heals somewhat I may never regain the level I'd reached was devastating.

When I explained this to people at work the attitude I got was along the lines of so what it's only a hobby what does it matter, comr back to work.

Well, to them it wasn't important but to me it was about as big a thing as I could imagine so I took 2 weeks off with it in a splint and bandaged to the middle finger so it was kept completely still as long as possible.

Foretunately, it healed fully and once I took the splint off and began exercises slow and easy iy. was clear there were no ill effects at all.

The idea though that damaging any of my fingers on my left hand at work or the possibility that they will 'wear out' as I get older perhaps arthritis or similar is a depressing thought.

When and if that does happen I fully intend to take up playing blues slide as I've tried in the past several times but it's so completely different from what I typically play, not in terms of style but in actual it's physical method that I have not stuck at it for long.

My mum was a fantastic classical piano player so we grew up with an upright piano in the house as kids but it never really captivated me at all.

No form of music did until I heard AC/DC aged around 14.

I'm much more fascinated by piano now than I was way back when and it's been a topic of discussion between me and my mother many times over the years.

She thinks the piano is infinitely easier to play and understand than the guitar whereas to me it feels like the other way round.

The piano never repeats notes (it does obviously but never in the same octave) and they ascend from left to right note by note whereas guitar has notes repeating all over the place.

In saying that guitar is highly visual with patterns repeating all over the place. You can learn to play to professional levels and never really have a great grasp of theory, all though I wouldn't recommend it lol.

I cannot imagine how it would feel having the ability to play your chosen instrument taken away from you especially for a medical reason so you have my sincerest sympathies.

Posted by: @electrostar

Lotus Carlton, a cool car certainly. Although admittedly my favourite Lotus conversion was the Lada they rebuilt on Top Gear, although I think the car has been lost sadly.

 

I'm not sure I remember that one with the Lotus Lada from Top Gear. I'd be very surprised if I didn't see it but it doesn't ring a bell ?

Lotus make some great cars but I always love the Lotus versions of more normal road cars like the Lotus Cortina or even cooler the Lotus Sunbeam with the 2.2 16v engine.

The Lotus Carlton being probably the ultimate version with around 450-500 bhp twin turbo and 180+ mph.

When the police themselves call for a car to be banned or made illegal you know it's something extraordinary 😁

The Lotus Riva was in series 1 all the way back in 2002... You can watch it on the iPlayer. Even tough it was a one off, Lotus did actually recognise it as a Lotus like that Carlton, so it hade its own Type number (can't remember which though), a full warranty and I'm pretty sure was classified as a Lotus by the DVLA.

Sockitiboy I call it the love for the instrument. For pianists it is easy to play the piano and for guitarist guitar comes naturally.  But technically and note wise ofcourse piano is much easier. 

Piano for me has much more cultural significance and deep-rooted institutional presence than any other instrument. I have read piano history books and just holding the book in hand and reading about Chopin, liszt,  and Schubert filled my heart with joy and soul replete with satisfaction.

My mother says I have a value or 'sanskaar' as we call in hindi descended from ancestors and I agree. Nobody ever in my family ever touched or fluently played an instrument. My mother though sings indian classical really really well. 

I can't agree with you more when people say what about it - it was just a hobby. What if your whole life was woven around that. What if your life had meaning from it. 

Today only I got off the phone with my mother. Desponded both of us over the loss we wondered has the blessing transformed into a curse because it is awfully hard to go under the surgery again with less than promising chances of recovery. 

I remember the movie ' The Piano ' now where the mother played the piano on the beach and her child danced to it all the way. The beautiful and sensitive maid was married and sent off to a brute of a husband who only wanted physical satisfaction from her. And when they threw her piano in the sea she decided to go along with it.

I also wanted to to along with it. End my life.

But I am here. Today. 

 Mmm,I still don't know about the piano being easier im terms of technique. With guitar you can learn some simple open chords and be strumming the rhythm to many a popular tune in a few weeks.

Piano may be more straightforward in terms of the notes but I imagine you need to know some scales and what all the notes are first.

Many people take up guitar without ever truly learning where every note on every string is.

With a handful of basic chords you can play every Oasis song every written lol.

Obviously,if you go deep into music theory and technique then whether you play piano,guitar or any other instrument you can go so far and probably never learn all there is to know.

In saying that I think both guitar and piano would be far easier to learn than a wind instrument like a saxophone or trumpet/trombone.

For me if I had to choose a 2nd instrument to play I think I'd love to learn the violin.

I really love traditional English folk music and in particular I love Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick.

Dave Swarbrick is or was an amazing fiddle player with a style that is absolutely magnificent,it's thrilling to hear him play.

In fact,a lot of fiddle/violin music really intrigues me,there's definitely a parallel with lead guitar playing that I really enjoy.

I really love that you bring up Chopin.My mum's favourite composer of all was Chopin especially Beethoven too but particularly Chopin.

When she went to her piano teacher,right up till I was around 7,she also sang too in a rare operatic voice apparently.

It's a genuine shame she got married and had us kids as she really should have pursued music as a career.

I remember the film the piano though I can't say I have watched it but it definitely sounds dramatic for sure.

They threw her piano in the sea ? That's as bad as book burning ,sacrilegious in the extreme.

The idea of destroying a musical instrument offends me on a really basic level.

At least though with guitars they are a lot easier to handle than pianos.

I've now got something like 14 or 15 electric guitars,no acoustics anymore.

All 6 string electrics,no basses or baritones nor 7 or 8 strings either or 12s.

6 are basically Stratocasters,with a couple of Jacksons,Telecaster,Charvel,Gibson Les Pauls and an SG plus a couple of what's known as partscasters which are DIY guitars where you buy all the parts individually then put them together to make a bespoke Stratocaster.

My Gibson Les Paul and one of the partscastera are definitely the most expensive.

The amps and pedals that go with it come to quite some collection of gear but that's all part of the obsession and great fun aswell 🙂

What you say about surgery and wanting to throw yourself away with the  instrument sounds incredibly traumatic.I'd be definitely interested to hear more but at the same time I don't want to pry or seem nosey.

It surely sounds like you have quite some story to tell when and if you decide to tell it.

 I also agree with you about the piano having a deep seated cultural significance far more than almost any other instrument going back to even Chamber music in Tudor times although that would have been the harpsichord rather than piano.

A very similar instrument though,in fact the harp itself could be said to be a forerunner of the piano possibly aswell.

I actually have my mother's old upright piano in my house and despite the fact I don't play it,well can't if I'm being honest ,I can't get rid of it despite being advised to many times by all manner of people.

Obviously being my mother's piano is part of it but more than anything else it's the fact it's a beautifully crafted and built object in it's own right and the idea of disassembling it and breaking it up as everyone suggests seems almost like a crime to me,it'd be no different than saying that old guitar is taking up space let's snap the neck and burn it 😩😩😩 horrific idea 🙁

About piano being easier, I say so because it takes just one finger to bring out one note. And for guitarist you need two hands. Of course classical guitar players would defy my trepidations by playing multiple notes with right and left both hands. Then again, it's love for the instrument and love of sound that drives you.

I love that any house has a piano. It is of special significance to me and a special place in my heart.

And I wouldn't go into more details of my surgery and make this place more morbid. It is not the right place to do that. 

I haven't replied but I have been reading your story with the piano, and it is heartbreaking. While we are just random people on the internet we do care and I'd hate for you to cause harm for yourself as saddening as the situation is - I've been in a similar situation myself.

Thanks for such solidarity. It felt good.